British Pathe

See also "Gargarin to the Stars - version 1" for Russian commentary and some different footage.

Soundtrack is currently missing for Reel 3.

Continued - Reel 3. (Reel 1 is on *PM1349*; reel 2 is on *PM1287*.) C/U of two Russian words painted on the side of the spaceship Vostok (sp?)...

See also "Gargarin to the Stars - version 1" for Russian commentary and some different footage.

Soundtrack is currently missing for Reel 3.

Continued - Reel 3. (Reel 1 is on *PM1349*; reel 2 is on *PM1287*.) C/U of two Russian words painted on the side of the spaceship Vostok (sp?) Various shots of the ship being assembled. Interior of the cabin - various shots. C/Us of control panels. (Procedures are described by the narrator.) Food supply, C/U of various tubes of foodstuff. M/S of scientist checking dials. Montage of shots of sunsets. C/U of Gagarin sleeping. Aerial shot of mountains, then aerial shots of a Russian village. (Lyrical voiceover about how man will always search for ways of breaking free from the earth.) Montage of landscape shots, agriculture, camels in the desert, apple blossom etc. Montage of animation material showing planets, stars, meteorites, an explosion.

("Men will face those hazards, bold men, men of courage and fortitude" states the narrator over) shots of Gagarin being prepared for more testing. He is wired up to a machine. He smiles. M/S of Gagarin sitting down in a blue space suit. He is handed a wallet which he opens, looks at then places in his pocket (photographs of his family perhaps?) M/S of Gagarin in orange space suit. He is being made ready for the flight. C/U of bootlaces being tied. He walks off and boards the bus which will take him to the launching site in Siberia. Interior of the bus. He is embraced by a colleague who shakes his hands and kisses him. Gagarin wags his finger at him reproachfully. High angle shot of the bus, Gagarin shakes hands with friends, colleagues and officials. He walks towards the spaceship. ("No-one can vouch that this will not be his last journey.)

Gagarin is transported up the side of the space rocket. M/S of Gagarin climbing into the capsule. Shot of him inside the capsule. C/Us of gauges and equipment. Gagarin performs pre takeoff tests.

Shot of a Russian city clocktower. Various shots of city streets. C/U of a clockface. Interior of the command centre. Space ship takes off. Various shots of the space ship in the air. C/U of radar tracking system, control centre, animated planet. C/U of a radio announcer making a speech. Reaction shots of Russian people. A woman wipes the tears from her eyes.

Animated sequence of spaceship circling the earth. Montage sequence showing transmitted images of Gagarin in space and workers at the control centre. Gagarin affirms that he is feeling fine and everything is under control. Spaceship travels around to the dark side. Gagarin opens his helmet and has some breakfast. (Gagarin speaks of what he can see from the spaceship.) Helicopter flies over African swamplands. This is where Gagarin will land. Descent. Image of Gagarin inside the spacecraft. (Radio announcer states that Gagarin has landed.) Cheering Russian crowds. Marching Russians. One man holds up a drawing he has done of Gagarin.

C/U of smiling Gagarin. A Doctor takes his pulse. C/U of Gagarin speaking on the phone to Kruschev. Gagarin walks through cheering crowds. He is embraced by fellow Russians. On board an aircraft Gagarin relaxes. Switchboard operators put calls through, ("the whole world was clamouring for details.") A hero's welcome for Gagarin in Red Square. Various shots of Gagarin being feted, accompanied by Kruschev he meets and greets various dignitaries from many countries of the world. In the Kremlin he is awarded the order of Lenin and the Gold Star of a Hero of the Soviet Union. Firework display over Red Square. Rockets taking off. (Crescendo in majestic music).
Note: originally 6 reels, this film has been spliced together to form 3 reels. Some sections of this film are colour faded.